Luke 10:21-42; Genesis 18; Psalm 11

21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.22"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.24For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " 28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself ? Tell her to help me!" 41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

1The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.2Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.3He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.4Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.5Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way--now that you have come to your servant." "Very well," they answered, "do as you say."6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread."7Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.8He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.9"Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he said.10Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.11Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.12So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"13Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?'14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."15Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you did laugh."16When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.17Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?18Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.19For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."20Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous21that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."22The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.23Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?24What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?25Far be it from you to do such a thing--to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"26The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."27Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."29Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."30Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."31Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."32Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

1In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain.2For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.3When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do ?"4The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.5The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.6On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.7For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.